Employment

Most people spend more time at work than they do at home and with their loved ones. That is why the employment relationship impacts our lives so strongly. If you have a family you will know what the burden of providing for them really means and if the ‘boss’ is treating you badly it affects your home life. Conversely, if the employee is giving you ‘grief’, the productivity and morale of the business will drop. It is never a good idea to have a cavalier attitude when dealing with something so important as employment.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY IN EMPLOYMENT

There have recently been significant changes to our Health and Safety laws in New Zealand. The legislation outlines significant duties on employers which they cannot contract out of. Employees have the right to know and understand their employer’s duty of care. Often these rights are never explained to the employee.

Employers find themselves faced with having to learn and conduct themselves according to these new legislative standards and restructuring can be very costly. It pays to have the right advice at the right time! We at Law21 seek to provide you with accurate, accessible and affordable advice when you need it.

 

STANDARD EMPLOYMENT AGREEEMENTS

An employment agreement is one of the most important documents a person will ever agree to. It governs time, responsibilities, treatment, and what to do should things go wrong.

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• It is very rare that someone never encounters a bad employment relationship. Most people have struggled at some point in their lives with employment.

• Employers want to see the best results from an employee.

• Employees want to be valued and treated with respect in the course of their work.

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Maximum productivity is the result when ALL needs are met and there must be a clear understanding between the parties! The employment agreement is the vital link to achieve the best outcome.

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The reality is that many standard employment agreements are wantonly lacking. They seem clear at first but when actually applied to real life situations are impractical leaving significant gaps as to who is responsible for what.

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Most new employees don’t question their employment agreement because they want the job.

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Most employers think that the same old agreement has worked “pretty well” for a few years so why change it.

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This is until… the employment relationship becomes “pear shaped” and damaged and the employer is faced with multiple personal grievances, large lawyer’s bills, damaged collective employee morale and bad publicity!

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Being proactive in the employment process protects both the employer and the employee not just individually but also in regard to the dynamic between them. The employment agreement protects the TEAM dynamic that creates successful returns.

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If only the new employee had gotten the contract reviewed before signing up! If only the employer had periodically had their employment contracts updated to meet changing requirements!

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Be practical. Be proactive.